Think Murder Read Free Page A

dry my wavy hair into a semblance of order. That night I couldn’t be bothered.
    Alone in bed, an odd sense of emptiness and sadness overwhelmed me. I curled up in a ball, hugging a pillow until I had cried myself to sleep.

Chapter 4       
    I hardly slept that night. If I had thought I’d be able to sleep, I’d have called in sick and stayed in bed. If emotional fatigue isn’t a valid reason for a sick day, it should be. Already awake, I dragged myself out of bed and washed up. My eyes were scary red. With any luck, a few drops of Visine would work magic and some of the puffiness would fade before I got to work.
    Despite D.C. wardrobe norms, I prefer to wear conservative yet cheery outfits to work. However, today my dark blue skirt and plain pale gray blouse felt more in keeping with my less than cheery mood.
    Without bothering to check the clock, I knew I was running later than usual. Resigned to the fact that I was going to be late for work no matter what I did, I lingered long enough to drink a can of Diet Coke and scarf down a couple of cookies. Maybe the caffeine and sugar combo would jump-start my system.
    As usual, I hopped the Metro at the Friendship Heights stop. Considering how preoccupied I was, it’s amazing that I remembered to get off at Dupont Circle. As I walked from the Metro stop to the office, I wondered whether anyone at the DIPPeR knew about Hilary’s death.
    A few minutes past 9:30, I entered the reception area and clocked in. Within seconds, the HR Director came toward me, her lips pursed tightly together. Kaye Blunt loved to catch people coming in late or leaving early, or doing anything else that wasn’t in keeping with DIPPeR rules.
    I looked her straight in the eye, “Good morning, Kaye.”
    She responded, “Good morning, Adina. Would you please step into my office? We need to talk.”
    Just what I needed, another one of Kaye’s lectures on tardiness. She closed the door to her office and motioned for me to sit down. In a gentler tone than I had ever heard Kaye use, she inquired, “How are you this morning?”
    “Tired, I didn’t sleep very well last night. Sorry I was late.”
    Her response surprised me. “Adina, we have been advised of Hilary’s death. I understand that you were out with her at the time. Are you alright?”
    “Yes, and no. That’s why I couldn’t sleep. It was horrible, I still don’t understand what happened.”
    “Would you like to take the day off? I’m sure Matt can manage without you if it’s too difficult for you today.”
    “Thank you. I did consider calling in sick today, but then I’d probably sit around alone all day, crying. I think it might be better if I’m doing something and around other people.” After taking a deep breath, I asked, “Does everyone know what happened?”
    “The police department called the switchboard early this morning, asking for information about Hilary. They wanted to confirm her emergency contact information, and such. They seemed to be having trouble reaching her parents, and they found her business card in her wallet. The call was forwarded to me. The officer didn’t go into details – he only said that her body was found in the bathroom at a pub.”
    Kaye paused, then added, “The officer mentioned that a female colleague was at the pub with her. Knowing you two were such good friends, I guessed that it was you. He confirmed it.”
    She didn’t mention how Hilary had died or that I had found the body, so maybe she didn’t know. It sounded like the police had only given her the basic facts, and I wasn’t in any hurry to volunteer information. When I remained quiet, she continued, “Half an hour ago, the officer notified me that he had succeeded in reaching her parents. We are calling a general staff meeting for 11:00. We’ll make an announcement then. If you prefer to absent yourself, I’ll understand. So far, the only other persons I’ve notified of Hilary’s death are Dr. Grayson and Dr.